Important New York City silversmiths in their own rights, Thomas Underhill and John Vernon operated as a short-lived partnership in a common shop in New York City in the very earliest days of the American Republic, 1787-88.

This 8 5/8" long, nearly 1.9 T. oz., coin silver tablespoon is marked with the "T.U" and "I.V" indicative of that partnership.

It has a rounded, "Reverse Tipt," down-turned, end and a pronounced drop on the bowl. The shank is narrow, thick, and smoothly joined with... Click for details

This 7" long, weighty, 1.3 T. oz., place or dessert spoon is stamped "B&S.D" for Benjamin and Samuel Demilt of New York City, with partnership dates 1820-35. It also carries a "lion, bust, G" pseudo hallmark that William McGrew in his work on marks identifies as unknown an New York maker.

It is a sophisticated piece, and all the more so for its early date. It is a "Kings" pattern, with a pronounced shell end with leafy borders. The backside heel of the bowl also has a shell imprint. The... Click for details

Writing nearly three decades ago in his ground breaking work "Silver Medallion Flatware," D. Albert Soeffing describes John Polhamus as "one of the lesser-known giants of nineteenth-century New York silver." It can be argued that the modifiers "lesser-known" and "New York" could be removed from that sentence. He is today recognized as a major figure in mid 19th century, American, silver manufacturing.

This example of his work was his entry in the realm of "Medallion" patterns is a 5 7/8"... Click for details

Offered is an important early American coin silver tea or coffee spoon by Philadelphia silversmith Thomas Shields (working circa 1765-94). This spoon's decoration, like many of my Philadelphia spoons, was featured in Hollan's "Philadelphia Silversmiths" (see page 264). The die-struck decoration is certainly very well preserved, as is the maker's mark for Shields. Overall, condition is fair to good, with some tip wear but no dents, splits or repairs. This piece measures about 4 7/8 inches in... Click for details

Offered is a lovely early American coin silver picture back teaspoon with a die-struck decoration to the back of the bowl that is unusual. The decoration is an abstraction of a shell, and almost looks like a splash of water drops or even of stars. This piece is unmarked but is stylistically closely related to marked Philadelphia pieces. This spoon's decoration, like many of my Philadelphia spoons, was featured in Hollan's "Philadelphia Silversmiths" (see page 259). This spoon is engraved... Click for details

Offered is a lovely early American coin silver teaspoon with die-struck birdback decoration and an engraved and decorated handle. This piece bears the rare maker's mark of John Baptiste Lemaire (also going by Benjamin Lemar or Lemaire) of Philadelphia; this man was also master of a fencing academy and at one time Chancellor of the French Consulate in Philadelphia. Lemaire (who may have been related to Matthias Lamar - spelling was not standardized at that time) died around 1806. This spoon... Click for details

Offered is a lovely and scarce early American coin silver birdback teaspoon by Philadelphia silversmith Henry Andrews, working circa 1785 to 1800. Little is known about Andrews and little of his work survives, but luckily a gold picture frame, a gold mourning brooch, a beaker and a few spoons are known. This spoon, which measures about 5 inches in length and weighs about 10 grams, features one of the two known birdback designs used by Andrews. The die-struck bird is in very good shape,... Click for details

Offered is an exceptional early American coin silver dessert spoon or large teaspoon by important Philadelphia silversmith John Germon, working from about 1782 to 1825 or so. This piece measures 6 3/8 inches in length, and weighs about 20 grams, so it is quite a bit larger than typical tea or coffee spoons of the period - it dates to the 1782-95 timeframe by style. However, it could simply be a very large teaspoon. This piece has a finely executed period engraved script monogram, a... Click for details

Offered is a good American coin silver fiddle pattern teaspoon by the well known firm of Robert & William Wilson of Philadelphia. Surprisingly little is known about this firm, despite its prominence and the great numbers of spoons and other pieces that survive bearing one of the firm's marks. This piece measures about 5 13/16 inches in length and weighs about 18 grams. Condition is very good overall, with minimal surface wear and no dents, splits or repairs. All in all a nice piece for a... Click for details

Offered is a nice American coin silver teaspoon made by Walter Pitkin and also marked Hull & Sangar. Walter M. Pitkin worked primarily in East Hartford, Connecticut, primarily from 1840 onward. Prior to 1840, Walter Pitkin worked in partnership with his brother in Hartford; the partnership also had a branch in Vicksburg, Mississippi circa 1834-37. This spoon is marked with Walter Pitkin's maker's mark, as well as a retailer's mark of Hull & Sanger - a firm I've had no luck tracing. This... Click for details

Offered is a nice pair of early American coin silver teaspoons by John Matthew Miksh (or, as this maker's mark would have it, Micksch) of Bethlehem, PA. Micksch used at least three maker's marks, and this one is different than the one on another pair of Micksch spoons in my inventory. This pair measures about 6 3/8 inches in length, and the two spoons weigh about 32 grams altogether. Each spoon has a good clear mark and a lightly engraved, period script monogram. Condition is good overall,... Click for details

Offered is a fine American coin silver condiment spoon or perhaps baby spoon in the fiddlethread or fiddle and thread pattern, circa 1850s by William Gale & Son. This piece measures about 4 3/16 inches in length, and weighs about 14 grams. It is well made and has a period engraved script monogram and a maker's mark for William Gale & Son. All in all a fine useful piece of early American coin silver!

Offered (available singly or as a group) is a set of three American coin silver teaspoons bearing the maker's mark of James Cook Hanna of New Castle, Pennsylvania. Biographical information on Mr. Hanna appears below. These spoons measure about 5 7/8 inches in length on average, and weigh a total of 56 grams as a group. Condition is very good, with light wear and a few small dimples but no major dents and no splits or repairs. All in all a fine group from a scarce small-town maker!
James... Click for details

Offered is a good American coin silver master butter knife in the Medallion pattern variant manufactured by Hotchkiss & Schreuder - this piece bears their maker's mark as well as a scarce Midwestern retailer's mark for Janesville, Wisconsin jeweler James A. Webb, who established his store in that town in 1856. In 1865 his shop was at Lappin's Corner in Janesville. This piece measures about 6 7/8 inches in length and weighs about 34 grams. Condition is fair, though there is quite a bit of... Click for details

Offered is a fine American coin silver table spoon by New York silversmith Eben Whitney (biographical information can be found below). This piece measures about 8 7/8 inches in length and weighs about 52 grams. It is in good condition overall, with modest wear from normal use, but no dents, splits or repairs. This piece is graced with a well-executed period engraved script monogram, and the maker's mark is crisp and clear. All in all a fine piece by a New York/Connecticut silversmith! ... Click for details